In Dreams
by anotherweasley
Summary: Finished! The entire fic is about Ron facing his feelings for Hermione....
1. Nightmare

Love and Loyalty  
  
Chapter One  
  
The world went dark.  
  
"Luminos!" Ron yelled, his voice piercing the silence.  
  
The light from his wand illuminated the faces of his companions, his best friends and his sister. Hermione, Harry, and Ginny looked back at him. Their faces showed their relief at the sight of each other. They were okay, at least for now. This time, this stand, might very well be their last. This time, he-who-shall-not-be-named, could possibly regain his mortal form and reign terror on all once more.  
  
"Do you think we lost him?" asked Ginny. Her voice betrayed her fear, a fear felt by them all.  
  
"I don't know," said Harry shaking his head.  
  
At that moment, an evil cackle filled the room, and their hearts, with terror.   
  
"Run! Now!" yelled Harry desperately at the three. "It's me he wants!"  
  
"We're not leaving you, Harry," said Ron in a tone, which Harry knew from personal experience, there was no use arguing with.  
  
"No way," said Hermione echoing Ron's sentiments.  
  
"Never," said Ginny glancing worriedly at Harry. She was more worried about Harry's safety than her own.  
  
Ron looked at the faces of all three. Their faces were set, determined, to face the greatest danger, the greatest threat, they had ever known.   
  
Suddenly, a light so intensely bright filled the room and the four covered their eyes. For a moment all was white brilliance and then it faded to enough light to see clearly by. They were face to face with Voldemort.   
  
"Finally! Finally!" said Voldemort his voice dripping with evil. "I am now restored! I am what I once was! And now I will make you pay Harry Potter. I'll make you pay for the past seventeen years I have suffered to get back to my physical form. But first, I want you to suffer, suffer as I have suffered!"  
  
Voldemort, instead of pointing his wand at Harry, pointed it at Ron. "Say good-bye to your friends, Potter!"  
  
Ron didn't have time to think much less react. He was frozen as if rooted to the very spot he stood upon. Voldemort cursed him as a blue bolt flew out of his own wand hurtling at Ron.   
  
"Ron!!!!" screamed Ginny and Harry.  
  
It was then that Ron was knocked to the ground. Someone had jumped in front of him. The force of impact had thrown both of them backwards unto the floor.   
  
Her soft brown hair in his face told Ron exactly who had protected him. "Hermonie?" asked Ron softly, worriedly as he gently pulled himself out from underneath her body. Tears began streaming down his face at the sight. He was vaguely aware that Harry and Ginny, horrified, had gathered around him. Ron, although frightened about causing her more pain, gathered Hermione in his arms and tried not to look at the black scorch where her heart was. She was alive, but only just. She was fading fast. "Hold on Hermione. Hold on." Ron felt his whole body going cold, numb with grief. Love and fear mixed with helplessness was pulsing through Ron's veins to a degree he had never known before.  
  
Hermione's face was etched in pain. Her eyes had taken on a far away sort of look, but for just a moment they seem to focus on Ron and she managed a small smile up at him. "You okay?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.  
  
Ron was incredulous! Here was Hermione, injured, and she was worrying about him! "I'm fine. I'm fine," he said hurriedly. His hand found one of Hermione's and he put his hand into hers. It was shockingly cold against his own overheated palm. "Please don't die on me Hermione. Please don't," Ron begged as the tears still continued to stream down his face.  
  
Hermione was looking at him and suddenly a calm, serene look overtook her features. But her eyes were still focused on Ron, looking at him as if she could see right through him, right into his soul. "I'm so sorry, Ron. I love you...." And that was all she ever spoke in this life again as her eyes closed.  
  
At that moment the world went black for Ron despite the brilliant light of the room. The sound of Voldemort's malicious laughter assaulted Harry, Ron, and Ginny's ears. Ron looked up at Voldemort, fury, revenge, and hatred all blazing in his heart. If looks could have killed, Voldemort would have been ashes at this very moment 


	2. Reality

Love and Loyalty  
  
Chapter Two  
  
"Ron! Ron, wake up!" hissed Harry.  
  
"What?!" yelled Ron as he sat up bolt right in bed. A thin layer of sweat covered his entire body. He was shaking, shivering actually, as if a cold wind had blasted right through him. The dorm room was dark but Ron's eyes soon adjusted and saw that Harry was staring back at him, worry and fright written into his face.  
  
"You, you must have been having a nightmare. You were screaming," explained Harry.  
  
Ron thought for a moment. He didn't remember having a nightmare. All he remembered was been awoken out of, what must have been, a deep sleep.  
  
"You were, um...you were calling out for Hermione," said Harry embarrassed for Ron. Harry was sure that had it been broad daylight he would have seen Ron turning a deep shade of pink at this very moment. He thought at least Dean, Neville, and Seamus went home for the holidays. There had been no one to hear Ron except for Harry. Otherwise he was sure Ron would have been mortified.  
  
"Hermione," Ron whispered. The dream came back to him like a blast from a wand. Although, like Harry had said, it was a nightmare, not a dream. "We've got to check on her! She could be in danger!"   
  
Ron threw off his bed covers. In his haste he didn't even think to put his robe on over his pajamas as he flew down the cold stone stairs to the common room. Before he could throw open the door that led to the girls' dormitory, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, a hand that belonged to Harry.  
  
"Ron, that's the girl's dormitory! We're not allowed up there remember!"  
  
Harry could see an internal struggle playing out on Ron's face. He was fighting his urge verify Hermione's safety and break a school rule. Normally he wouldn't have had too much trouble with this dilemma, but his actions would be breaking the inner sanctum of the girls' rooms and right now that wasn't what he wanted to do. Ron made up his mind. He swung open the door and whispered as loud as he could, "Hermione! Hermione!"  
  
A few seconds later a girl with shoulder length red hair, her periwinkle blue robe pulled tightly around her, emerged down the steps. She was rubbing her eyes. When she saw Harry and Ron at the end of the steps she muttered, "Ron what are you doing? Don't you know what time it is?"  
  
"Ginny," said Ron urgently. "I need you to go check on Hermione...make sure she's alright."  
  
Ginny just stared at Ron. "I'm sure she's fine, Ron," said Ginny frowning at the request. She thought maybe her brother was trying to play a trick on her much as their older twin brothers constantly subjected her to.  
  
Ron opened his mouth to say something but didn't get a chance. Harry said, "Please Ginny."  
  
Ginny looked at Harry and felt an urge to blush. In her tired state, it hadn't fully dawned on her that Harry Potter, the boy that made her tongue tied all the time, was standing there. Then she did blush and say, "Alright. Be back in a few."  
  
Ginny rushed back up the stairs. But at the bottom the wait seemed like forever to Ron. This did not go unnoticed by Harry who said, "Don't worry. She'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
Ron didn't seem to hear Harry as he peered deeply up the dark stairs for any sign of movement. Finally, they heard two girls whispering. Hermione and Ginny had come down the stairs.  
  
"Hermione," breathed Ron with a happy sigh of relief. He fought the urge to pull her into a great big hug.  
  
Hermione, for her part, looked rather cross at being awoken at some very untimely hour. "What's wrong?" She looked back and forth between Ron and Harry but no answer seemed to be forthcoming.  
  
Ron's mind blanked. "Uh...uh...uh...," Ron stuttered.  
  
Hermione's face changed from one of annoyance to one of true concern. "Are you okay, Ron? Is something wrong?"  
  
Ron panicked. He couldn't tell her about the dream. He couldn't tell her what she had said to him in his dream. It was a silly nightmare. Nothing more. "It was nothing," he said quickly. He grabbed Harry's shoulder and hurried him back to their dorm rooms leaving a confused Hermione and Ginny starring after them. 


	3. Questions

Love and Loyalty  
Chapter 3  
  
The next morning Harry found Ron eating breakfast in the Great Hall. He was sitting away from the other students, which wasn't hard considering most had already left for the Christmas holidays. He sat down across from Ron who was finding the cereal in his bowl too interesting at the moment to look up at Harry. Harry knew Ron was trying to avoid the question he had dodged last night. "So what were you dreaming about?"  
  
"It was nothing," said Ron side stepping the question.  
  
"Look, Ron. I'm your friend. Whatever you dreamt, it obviously upset you. You know you can talk to me about it."  
  
Ron just gave a slight shake of his head.  
  
Before Harry could say another word, Ginny joined them. "Hullo." She would have rather have taken a seat next to Harry, but something held her back and instead she sat down next to her brother.   
  
"Hi, Ginny," said Harry with a smile which caused Ginny to turn slightly pink.  
  
But Ginny had other things on her mind as she looked up at Harry and asked, "Harry, I forgot to get some pumpkin juice. Would you mind getting me a glass?"  
  
Harry nodded and left Ginny and Ron seated at the table. She turned to Ron. With Harry out of the way, it would give her a moment to speak to Ron in private. "So are you going to tell me what that was all about last night?"  
  
Ron's temper, which had been kept in check around his best friend, flared out more easily at his sister. "Why does everyone keep bugging me about it! It's nothing! It was just a stupid dream! And everything's alright isn't it!" The last sentence wasn't a question.  
  
"Well I'm sorry, Ron," said Ginny quietly with tears in her eyes. "I'm your sister and I thought you might need someone to talk to." Ginny got up and walked out of the Great Hall, her food completely untouched.  
  
Ron watched her go feeling very stupid. He should have called out to her, told her to come back. He should have apologized. He just...every time he thought about the dream, and his reaction to it, he felt heartily embarrassed. He didn't want to talk about the dream because it would lead to other questions and other feelings that right now he didn't want to think about....  
  
"Where did Ginny go?" asked Harry, confused and holding a glass of pumpkin juice.  
  
"Dunno," said Ron startled by his reappearance. He had been too lost in his own thoughts. "Well I've gotta go. See ya later, Harry." Ron quickly gathered up a few books he had brought with him and quickly left.  
  
Harry just stared after Ron and hoped that, whatever was bothering him, he'd tell someone about it soon. 


	4. Library

Love And Loyalty  
Chapter Four  
  
"Ron Weasley, studying on Christmas Eve. Well this is a first."  
  
Startled, Ron looked up from his books spread out over the library table to see Hermione smiling at him teasingly. He just scowled at her and turned his attention back to his books hoping Hermione would just go away. Under normal circumstances, he would have welcomed her but things being what they were he wanted some privacy. Either way it didn't seem to matter what he thought. She took a seat at the table right across from him. She waited for him to look at her. When she realized what he was doing she unceremoniously took the book he was reading.  
  
"Hey!" exclaimed Ron in protest.  
  
After looking at the title, "Prophetic Dreams," she quickly glanced at the other books Ron had spread out on the table-"Unfogging the Future," "Your Dreams and You," and "Predicting the Unpredictable through Dreams." Hermione handed "Prophetic Dreams" back to Ron. The two just stared at each other a few moments until Hermione finally said quietly, "So are you going to tell me about the dream?"  
  
"No," said Ron firmly. "And for your information, this has nothing to do with last night. This is just some holiday homework for Professor Trelawney."  
  
Hermione just looked at Ron sternly. Since she had dropped that fraud Trelawney's classes she couldn't rightly accuse Ron of lying to her. She knew it was a lie though. There was no way Ron would be doing homework on a holiday. It was hard enough to get him to do work during the term.   
  
But her expression softened as she thought about the reasons behind Ron's lie. Obviously, he had had a dream, a bad one at that to be waking her up in the wee hours of the morning. He thought she was in danger. The thought warmed her heart and she was torn between smiling and blushing. Seeing Ron, despite his annoyed, stern demeanor, she knew he must be really worried about her to be doing research on Christmas Eve. When in doubt, she always came to the library and here was Ron, too stubborn to talk to anyone, doing the same thing.   
  
Hermione had had more than a few arguments with Ron to know that he didn't like to talk about his feelings and that she couldn't rush him. As frustrating as it was, she would have to let him come to her. She stood up and said quietly, "There's nothing to worry about Ron. Nothing bad is going to happen to me." And with that she left the library.  
  
Ron watched her go. He wanted to leap up. He wanted to run and tell her about his dream. But it seemed so foolish. And the last thing he wanted to do is look like a fool in front of Hermione. It was just a silly dream, wasn't it? It had just felt so real. Every time he thought about it he wanted to cry. It was like he was back there, holding Hermione's dead body in his useless arms.  
  
She told him she loved him. Did she love him romantically or just in friendship? He knew his own feelings toward her had grown and deepened over the years into...into that word even he was scared to think let alone utter.  
  
Ron slammed his book so violently that the librarian gave him a scowling look. He managed an apologetic look to her as he placed the books back in the return shelf. Hermione was right; it was just a silly dream. Nothing was going to happen to her, he thought as he too left the library to join his friends in Christmas Eve celebrations. 


	5. Christmas

In Dreams  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Christmas morning was celebrated as it had been for the past five years. Lots of laughter and ripped wrapping paper filled the Gryfinndor common room. However there was a marked difference from the previous year. This year two more of the Weasley children had graduated from Hogwarts-Fred and George. It was a somewhat sobering and sad reminder that after this year they only had one more year before graduation. At least Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be graduating together next year. The following year would be an even harder one for Ginny, a thought that flitted through her mind from time to time.  
  
But those thoughts were pushed aside by the three as they laughed at some gag gifts that the Weasley twins had sent them all from their newly opened joke shop. Of course they all got sweaters with their initials on it from Mrs. Weasley. Luckily both Harry and Hermione's sweaters were different colors else there could have been some confusion over which "H" belong to him or her. There were their gifts from each other and from their families and friends.  
  
They continued to open up their presents, but Ron kept covertly trying to peer over at Hermione as she opened her presents. It was not out of fear of his dream, in fact he had managed to put even that out of his mind having accepted that it was in fact just that-a dream. No his worry was more over what Hermione would think of the present he had gotten for her.  
  
He was too distracted to even notice the yelp of delight and big hug Ginny gave Harry upon opening Harry's gift to her. Although somewhere in his mind he knew he had to speak to either or both of them about it. About what he wasn't quite sure but he would speak to them. But right now he was more focused on the little wrapped present with the blue ribbon that Hermione was opening at just that moment. It had taken weeks of agonizing thinking. He hadn't known what to get her but when he saw how much she liked the necklace that the old witch was selling at Hogsmeade's, which she stopped herself from buying, he knew he had to get it for her. So, after borrowing money from Fred and George, which he didn't know how he was going to pay back at present, he had snuck back and bought her the necklace. But the way Hermione's eyes lit up with her smile as she turned to look at him, Ron knew that the present had been worth every sickle.  
  
When she turned and found Ron had been looking at her as she opened her present, Hermione blushed and stammered, "Ron, you shouldn't have..." She didn't want to mention that it cost way too much. She knew he was sensitive about his and his family's financial status. But his money, or lack thereof, had never mattered to her. It was his thoughtfulness that did.   
  
Ron just shrugged and tried to cover up the pink flush that past over his own face. "I knew you liked it," he mumbled.  
  
Hermione smiled as she unlatched the clasp of the necklace. It had a silver chain and the pendant was a black onyx ball held by a dragon's claws. She didn't really know why she had taken such a fancy to it. The witch who was selling it had told her the necklace had a wonderfully history of muggles using them to ward of bad witches and spells. It just seemed like it had a lot of history behind it and that had caught her attention.  
  
She tried to fasten it around her neck but for some reason was unable to clasp the two pieces together.  
  
"Here, let me," said Ron suddenly. He moved behind Hermione, gently pushing her long brown hair to the side. He felt his heart racing as his hands brushed against Hermione's as he took the two ends of the necklace from her. His hands were sweaty, which caused him a little bit of trouble getting the necklace clasped together. But third time was the charm, and the necklace clicked into place.  
  
"Done," said Ron beaming.  
  
Hermione craned her neck to look back at Ron as she fingered the pendant. Her face mirrored Ron's own in its brightness.  
  
And that's when everything went black. 


	6. Trouble

In Dreams  
  
Chapter Six  
  
"Ron! Ron, wake up!"  
  
Ron groggily opened his eyes to see Herminone's face peering anxiously back at him. He was about to smile at her, let her know that everything was okay, that he was fine. Then Harry and Ginny's faces came into view, concern etched in their faces as well. Something was wrong and not just with him. He looked up at their surroundings. They weren't in their common room anymore. In fact, Ron didn't rightly know where they were. He sat up with their help. "What happened?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know," said Hermione. Her voice betrayed her nervousness. "One minute we were in the common room and now..."  
  
All four looked around unable to recognize any of their surroundings. They seem to be in some sort of cave or tunnel. There was a single torch hanging on the wall gave off light. There were four dark tunnels that led off from their central location. Where they headed no one knew.  
  
As Ron got up to his feet Hermione continued, "As soon as you got the necklace clasped everything went black. There was this rushing feeling, like we were moving very fast and then we were here. You were unconscious. We were so worried."  
  
Ron looked at Hermione. He could tell, although he was sure that both Harry and Ginny had been concerned for his well being, that Hermione had been the most distraught. Any other time or place and Ron would have been happy at Hermione's concern although he wouldn't ever want her to in distress. It was pleasant to think his, okay his feelings for her, were not unrequited. But now was obviously not the time to dwell on these things. They could be in real danger.  
  
"It sounds like the necklace was a port key of some sort," said Harry with a sinking feeling. The last time he had traveled, forcibly, by a port key during the tri-wizard tournament he had come face to face with the murderer of his parent, Lord Voldemort, and Cedric had died in that fight.  
  
"But it couldn't have been because Harry and I weren't touching the necklace," said Ginny, her brows furrowed. "Only you two were," she said indicating Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Well maybe it was a cursed necklace. Where did you get it Ron?" asked Harry.  
  
"From a witch at Hogsmeade. She was selling jewelry there. She didn't say anything about it. She just said that in the past muggles had used similar necklaces to ward off the curses of bad witches and wizards," explained Ron.  
  
"Like a lucky charm that protects the wearer," said Hermione. "She didn't say there was anything actually magical about the necklace."  
  
"Maybe she didn't know that it had magical properties," said Ginny.  
  
"Or maybe she did," Harry said grimly. "Did the witch know that you were giving the necklace to Hermione for Christmas, Ron?"  
  
"Er...well...," Ron stammered. He was a little embarrassed. He was just supposed to have given Hermione the necklace and that gift and moment were supposed to have been between the two of them and not for everyone to know about and discuss. Of course Harry and Ginny might have already suspected that he, well he had been for some time now, had been thinking about Hermione as more than a friend. But they were possibly in danger right now and that had to override any of his personal feelings of embarrassment. "Yes. Hermione and I had been looking at the necklaces. The witch knew that Hermione liked that particular one. When I went back to get it, she asked me if it was for a Christmas present for the witch that had been with me earlier, meaning Hermione. So I told her. I didn't think anything of it at the time."  
  
"Maybe the witch made it into a powerful portkey...one that would affect everyone in the room," suggested Ginny.  
  
Harry nodded at Ginny who smiled briefly despite their strange circumstances. "Maybe you're right Ginny. But the question still remains-why?"  
  
For that none of them had any answers. But their hearts froze as the sound of laughter filled the room and echoed down the four tunnels that connect to it. The laughter was anything but pleasant. 


	7. Voldemort

In Dreams  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
The laughter was followed the sound of footfalls on pavement-very faint but growing closer with each step. Out of one of the dark tunnels came a haggard looking, older man. But there was nothing weak about this man. The four knew he had weaknesses, every man did, even if he was barely the definition of a man, or should they say wizard. The hair might have grayed, the face might now be defined by wrinkles, but the eyes, the eyes had lost none of the hatred, the need for revenge, the feeling of supremacy, the reflection of the evil inside of him that had marked him in his youth and still marked him today. They were the eyes of Tom Riddle, or as he now preferred to be called, Lord Voldemort.  
  
The four could voice no words. Nothing came to their minds except they knew that they were in danger, very real danger. Ginny gave an audible gasp but other that that, no sound escaped them.  
  
Voldmort smiled at them maliciously. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Harry Potter who has caused me so much trouble. And of course his other three irksome friends. But I don't think I've ever met them officially. Where are you're manners dear boy? You really should introduce us."  
  
Hot anger coursed through Harry's vein. "So this is you! You're behind all this!"  
  
"Who did you expect? The Easter bunny. I needed to get you away from the safety of Hogwarts. Which I did, as you can see, with the help of a friend of mine and this simpering fool," said Voldemort indicating Ron who bristled at the remark.  
  
Voldemort flicked his eyes away between Ron and Ginny. "You're the Weasley children aren't you?" But it wasn't a question really. Voldemort's face twisted into one of venomous disgust. "A disgrace to the name of wizards. Even your pure blood won't be able to save you now. Fools just like your father. Bad enough associating with muggles, siding with them, and helping them, but now you've even fallen in love with mudbloods."  
  
Ron, who normally would have been embarrassed by this at his own feelings being spoken of in such an open manner, and with Hermione standing right by, snapped back, "That's funny cause from what I hear you're from mixed parentage yourself. So that makes you nothing more than a hypocrite."  
  
Voledmort's face contorted in rage. As Voldemort reached for his wand, Harry looked at Ron, Ginny, and Hermione and realized that, despite their numbers, the best defense right now might be to run for it. For a painful moment it was clear to him that he could lose all the people who had come to mean the most to him in any world, just like his parents, and he wasn't about to lose them. And yet they would never leave him to deal with Voldemort on his own. They were that loyal.   
  
Harry covertly took Ginny's cold, clammy hand into his own, never for once taking his eyes off Voldemort. She gave a slight squeeze and Harry had to stop from smiling despite their present danger. She was ready, whatever he decided to do. Fight or flight and right now flight seemed like the best idea. They were still students, and although he had held his own against Voldemort before, Voldemort was more powerful than Harry had ever seen him. Harry yelled at Ron and Hermione, "Let's go!" Ron nodded and grabbed Hermione's hand in his own as the four went racing down one of the dark tunnels away from Voldemort. They hoped to lose him, but feared they were merely delaying the inevitable. 


	8. Trapped

In Dreams  
  
Chapter 8  
  
They were all breathing heavy by the time they stopped running. They had turned right and left, run through so many tunnels and caverns that they had lost all sense of direction and time. All they had known was that they needed to escape, that their lives were in imminent danger.   
  
The cavern that they had stopped to rest in, more by necessity than will, was dark, pitch black. It was impossible to see how big it was or where the other tunnels were that lead out from it were. It was only by the labored breathing of each one that they knew they were side by side.  
  
"Do you think we lost him?" panted Ginny.  
  
"I don't," began Harry taking in another mouthful of air, "I don't think so. That would be too easy."  
  
"I'm sure he knows this place thoroughly," said Hermione.  
  
"Yeah. Why else would be bring us here unless he didn't own the quidditch field?" added Ron sarcastically.  
  
"Well what to we do now?" asked Ginny. To that question, none of them had any answer.  
  
Finally Ron, who could no longer stand the darkness pulled out his wand and yelled, "Luminos!" The brilliant glow from his wand illuminated the cavern. They all looked around in wonder and their hearts sank soon after. The cavern that they had run into had only one exit and that was the entrance that had only a few minutes earlier come through. They were trapped and the sounds of footfalls were getting closer.   
  
Seconds later, Voldemort walked into the entrance way, Ron felt an icy chill pass through him as goose bumps rose across his arms and legs. He stole one nervous, fearful glance at Hermione and then turned his attention back to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. His nightmare was becoming a reality. Ron steeled himself. This time it was going to have a different ending. 


	9. Death

In Dreams  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Voldemort stepped into the entranceway. He was blocking it. There was no escaping him. Not this time. "I'm here to make you pay, Potter!" he snarled. "I'm here to make you pay for every year that I have suffered!"  
  
"You'll have to get through us first!" yelled Ginny, her fear replaced by her fear for Harry's life.  
  
Voldemort turned his attention to Ginny. His face took on one of maliciously pleasure. "Ahhh...Harry Potter's girlfriend. The one to whom I owe no thanks the way you messed up breaking open the Chamber of Secrets. No matter. This is a job for the older, wiser me and not for silly little girls."  
  
"Listen, Voldemort," said Harry bristling with anger at Voldemort for his condescending attitude toward Ginny. "It's me you want. You can let the others go."  
  
"No, Harry! We're not leaving you!" exclaimed Hermione in horror at the thought. They all felt her words and even Harry couldn't help the sense of gratitude and love that filled his heart at the thought of his friends.  
  
Ron for his part was thoroughly stunned. This was so similar to his dream and yet there were distinct differences. But in his heart he knew one of them was going to be attacked first. He'd be there to stop it. He'd have to be quick. At the very least he could give the others a chance to escape and get help. But who would it be? Ron glanced uneasily-first at Hermione and then to his best friend and sister.  
  
"Ah, loyalty," chuckled Voldemort mirthlessly. "It killed your parents, Potter, and those around them, just as it's going to do here. Say goodbye to your friends!"  
  
Just as in his dream Voldemort turned his wand to Ron. A blue bolt shot out of it thundering toward him.   
  
Time seemed to slow down and yet Ron knew he had mere nanoseconds to stop the most horrible events from unfolding. Ron quickly glanced and saw Hemione hurtling herself toward him. With hardly anytime to react Ron opened his arms wide and caught Hermione in a big bear hug and spun himself between her and Voldemort. Pain coursed through his body as it absorbed the impact of the blow. Between the force of the blast and the pain, Ron crumbled to the ground on top of Hermione.  
  
For a few moments no one breathed or moved. Then, Hermione gently slid out from underneath Ron. Harry and Ginny, horrified crowded around Ron whose face was pressed against the cold cement floor. Except for the black scorch mark on his back, they would have merely thought him asleep.  
  
Hermione took Ron's cold, nearly lifeless hand in her own as tears streamed down her face. With her other hand she gently brushed some hair out of his face and placed it on his cheek. "Ron! Ron!" she sobbed. They would have turned him over if they hadn't feared damaging him further. They prayed the point wasn't mute.  
  
"Hermione," Ron mumbled, his eyes flickering open.  
  
"Yes, yes, I'm here Ron."  
  
"You okay?"  
  
If the situation hadn't been so perilous she would have laughed. Ron, her knight in shinning armor, was asking if she was okay. She had always loved him; she knew this. If love could save Ron he would have been healed right now. But it couldn't. Hermione felt darkness threatening to over take her.  
  
Ron felt the same darkness pressing in, like a hand gripping his heart, stopping its beating. When Hermione didn't responded he opened his eyes further to see the tearstained, anguish stricken, but very much alive Hermione. All three of them loved him, each in his or her own way. He could see in the eyes that they would miss him terribly as he would miss them. But there was one thought that was pressing upon him more than the most. That he should pass into that deep slumber, her never knowing how he felt, was unthinkable.   
  
Everything seemed to fade away from him except Hermione's face when he said, "I love you, Hermione."  
  
Then a bright light filled the room, blinding them all. A slight smile passed over Ron's lips as he faded into nothingness. 


	10. Blugger

In Dreams  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"Ron! Ron, wake up! Are you okay, Ron?"  
  
Ron blearily opened his eyes. For some unknown reason he was still alive. Hermione's sweet, distraught face still loomed over his.  
  
"Say something, Ron?" pleaded Hermione.  
  
Ron was confused. Maybe she hadn't heard him the first time. So some how he managed to say it louder this time despite the intense pain. "I said I love you, Hermione."  
  
Hermione started to turn several shades of pink. She tried to hide the smile that had sprung to her lips. Ron started to get a little angry. Here he was dying and she was getting all embarrassed about this. It was either that or she was making fun of him. Maybe she didn't return his feelings and here he was admitting he liked her before he died. Of all the....   
  
It was then that he heard two people start laughing. He knew those laughs as he had been on the receiving end of them for his entire life.  
  
Fred and George stepped out from behind Ginny. Fred said, "I think the blugger hit you a little too hard, mate."  
  
Blugger, Ron thought confused? It was then that he started to look around and noticed a blue sky above him. Wincingly, he looked around and saw that he was surrounded by his Quidditch team and a host of others from his house and school.  
  
Ron closed his eyes. The thought of what he had admitted a mere few moments ago burned inside of him to such a degree that he was sure his face and ears were a dark shade of pink. He wished he really was dead and that this was in fact all a dream. 


	11. Love

In Dreams  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"You know you can't hide in here forever."  
  
Ron, hesitating, pulled his gaze from the hospital wing ceiling and turned it toward the speaker. "My head still hurts," he grumbled.  
  
Hermione smiling, annoyingly Ron thought, made her way across the room and sat down on Ron's bed. "Your head looks alright to me."  
  
Ron opened his mouth to protest but closed it a few seconds later. He really had no idea what to say to her after he had embarrassed himself in front of practically the entire school. Maybe he could talk Madame Promfrey into letting him spend the rest of the semester in here. Then he dismissed the thought as being utterly ridiculous. It was time to face the music. "Look, Hermione, about what I said out there on the quidditch field..."  
  
Hermione was looking at him so expectantly that Ron's lie died right on his lips. He could tell her that this was all the result of a bad dream he had had or that he loved her as just a friend. For a long time he had thought thats all he had been.  
  
"Look, Hermione," Ron began again, this time his voice was gentle and sincere. "We've been friends for a couple of years now after a rough start I'd say. I thought you were this know-it-all showoff. The truth is, your just very, very clever and I let that stand in the way of our friendship because I was jealous."  
  
Hermione opened her mouth to protest that this was all water under the bridge. "Ron..."  
  
"Please, Hermione, let me finish," said Ron. Before he knew it himself, he had taken her hand into his. A part of him was shocked and yet another part of him felt that this was right. He couldn't let embarrassment stand in the way of something that was truly important to him. "Luckily, you became as much of a best friend to me as Harry is. Then when Vicktor Krum came into the picture," Ron's free hand clinched involuntarily, "I was very angry with you. I didn't know why I was, but I was. I was always protective of you, then even more so, and rationalized it away. I told myself that it was because he was competing against Harry, that he was our enemy."  
  
Hermione, who had been looking down at Ron's hand in her own, looked up. Their eyes met. Her heart was beating a fast. For a long time she knew she had loved Ron. She had thought maybe, someday, he would realize that he loved her too and yet somehow she had thought it would never come. But the time was now. "I was flattered..." her voice faltered, "I never cared about Victor the way..." She became tongue-tied and knew not what to say. She could feel tears pricking her eyes but knew not they were tears of joy or sadness.  
  
Ron leaned forward, his voice dipping even lower, barely a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I'm so sorry, I didn't realize or notice. But since that first day on the train when you walked into Harry's and my compartment, you've never been far from my thoughts. I love you, Hermione Granger. I always have, but..."  
  
Ron was silenced as a tear, slipped out of her eye and trickled silently down her cheek. Ron's heart ached to see her so. How long must she have loved him never knowing if he would ever return her affection! He leaned in closer, wanting to comfort her, knowing, yet not knowing, what to do. She met him half way as his lips pressed against hers in a moment of sweetness that had long been delayed.  
  
The moment was shattered by the sound of the hospital wing door being opened. Hermione and Ron quickly broke the kiss apart and yet he still clung to her hand. For her part, Hermione was just as unwilling to let go.   
  
They looked over as the smiling faces of Harry and Ginny, still dressed in their quidditch uniforms, walked toward them. "Fred and George just left back to their joke shop but they sent their best wishes for a speedy recovery. You okay?" asked Harry when the two had reached Ron's beside.  
  
"Yeah just fine, mate," said Ron. It was then that Harry realized that Ron was grinning at him. Stupidly grinning at him in fact. Both he and Ginny, feeling suddenly very awkward as they looked down to see Ron's hand holding Hermione's. She was blushing, trying not to look at them and trying to keep off the smile that kept playing with the corners of her mouth.   
  
  
  
Ginny couldn't stop the smile that grew on her face. It made her heart light to finally see her brother and her friend both happy.  
  
"Well," said Harry trying to break the awkward moment. He felt weird. His heart was glad that his two friends had finally admitted how they felt about each other. And yet at the same moment he also felt sad. It was like he was an intruder and outsider. Not that his friends would see him that way. I mean it wasn't like he was losing them, but still...  
  
Harry felt a gentle hand on his arm, helping him out of the situation. "Harry, you said you promised me you'd help me out with a little extra quidditch practice to get ready for our match with Ravenclaw," said Ginny smiling at him.  
  
Harry looked at Ginny and for a moment wondered when it was that he had stopped thinking of her as his best friend's little sister. She was his friend too and he was grateful for her help out of this situation, as he had been for her help so many times in the past. "Yes, thanks for reminding me, Ginny," said Harry smiling. "We'll just catch up with you two later."  
  
Ron and Hermione nodded and mumbled their good-byes. They watched Ginny and Harry leave.  
  
"They'd make a cute couple," said Hermione with a lighthearted laugh.  
  
Ron almost rolled his eyes, "What? Are you going to play match maker now?"  
  
"No," said Hermione still laughing. "But would you rather have Ginny dating Dean?"  
  
"Of course not," protested Ron. "Dean's okay but he's not good enough for Ginny."  
  
Ron shrugged. "Okay I don't like the idea of any guy dating my little sister, but if it has to be, if there had to be a guy, well, Harry's my mate and...and he's as good as they come."  
  
"Yeah he is," agreed Hermione smiling.  
  
An awkward silence settled between the two. It lasted for a good few minutes before Ron cleared his throat and said, "Well what to we do now."  
  
"Same as we always do I guess," said Hermione with a slight shrug.   
  
But before they could talk more Madame Pomfrey came bustling in. "Miss Granger, you're going to have to leave now. Mr. Weasley took a serious blow to the head and he needs his rest."  
  
"Okay," said Hermione. As soon as Madame Pomfrey turned her back for a second, Hermione slipped her hands around Ron's neck. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her into a tight hug. She kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "I love you Ronald Weasley." She quickly released him and hurried out of the wing before Madame Pomfrey turned around.  
  
Ron watched her go and still stared in that direction for a good while after that before he laid his head down on the pillow. He hadn't felt this happy since he had turned his quidditch team's losing streak around last year. He slowly closed his eyes. He hadn't realized how exhausted was. When sleep finally over took him, he worried briefly that he'd wake up to find this had all been a dream. But if it were, it would be his best dream ever. 


End file.
